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Discussion Topic:
Rear sway bar
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46coupe |
09-13-2021 @ 3:53 PM
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Member
Posts: 271
Joined: Oct 2015
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Does anyone have a picture of the rear sway bar for a 42-48 Ford? I can't find one in the green book or the 41-48 restoration book. I might have to have one. Thanks
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42wagon |
09-14-2021 @ 3:17 AM
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Senior
Posts: 585
Joined: Oct 2009
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Ford called them Track Bars and they appear on page 4-5 of the 41-48 Ford book. For 42 the rear track bar was only installed on station wagons and sedan deliveries. If you have an early 46 coupe perhaps it didn't get one.
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46coupe |
09-14-2021 @ 5:20 AM
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Member
Posts: 271
Joined: Oct 2015
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Thanks for replying. I had not used that term in my search. I plan on posting a picture of what I have on the car later today.
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46coupe |
09-14-2021 @ 7:14 AM
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Member
Posts: 271
Joined: Oct 2015
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I had seen the picture in the resto book, and the Green book, but the sources I checked used the term sway bar, etc. As you can see the bar doesn't look like the one in the books. It was on the car when I bought it and had no trouble with the links, shackles, spring, etc. I'll try to load various angles so you can see where the spring eye flipped upside down and how the bar fastens to the car. The car is fairly early so maybe it didn't come with a track bar. However in the write up in the resto book it says they started to install them on all passenger cars. There's no date provided when the changed occurred though.
This message was edited by 46coupe on 9-14-21 @ 7:21 AM
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carcrazy |
09-14-2021 @ 7:57 AM
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Senior
Posts: 1667
Joined: Oct 2009
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That looks like a Panhard bar to me, the purpose of which is to keep the axle properly located laterally under the car.
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46coupe |
09-14-2021 @ 8:50 AM
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Posts: 271
Joined: Oct 2015
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Well that's part of the problem. It hasn't. The rear end has shifted to the passenger side so that the tire rubs on the fender. The leaf spring has flipped around on the driver side so that the broken shock link can't be removed. I had a mechanic look at it yesterday who has built several cars over the years and he said that possibly the bar is bent because the way it is now it won't keep the spring from flipping again after we correct it's placement. I thought I remembered someone saying in an earlier post that the rear end was held centered by some kind of a pin. I'll have to look that up later when I have time. Do you have a picture or does someone on the forum have a picture of the track bar on their car?
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40cpe |
09-14-2021 @ 6:34 PM
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Posts: 475
Joined: Jan 2010
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The pin referred to as locating the rear axle is the spring tie bolt. You can see the bottom of it under the center of the spring. You should be able to feel the top of it in the hole on top of the crossmember. It appears to me that your shackles are not factory, but home made. To check for bent track rod, I would disconnect it at the bracket on the crossmember, place the shackles in the correct positions, and see if the track bar lines up with the bracket after you ascertain that the tie bolt is in the correct position. Be sure that the rubber bushings on each end are good.
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zeke3 |
09-14-2021 @ 7:28 PM
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Member
Posts: 79
Joined: Apr 2011
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I am not familiar with a 1946 model frame, but that rear crossmember doesn't look right to me. On the earlier frames, 1937 for instance, the crossmember had a flange on both the front and rear sides and there were holes that the large spring u-bolts went through. I don't see a rear flange on your crossmember, which may be the way your model was made. One of your pictures makes it look like the spring is way out of alignment with the center of the rear axle. I suggest removing the spring u bolts and dropping the whole assembly down a couple of inches to get a better look at what is going on up there.
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40 Coupe |
09-15-2021 @ 5:06 AM
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Senior
Posts: 1678
Joined: Oct 2009
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Have you looked on page 130 of the Ford green chassis parts book from Nov. 1950? The same bar was used for all the 46-48 passenger cars. Your bar does appear bent and the spring shackle bars are too . The bar part number is 51A-4264-A with the prefix indicating it was first available in 1945. The Sedan Delivery and Station Wagon of 42 would have originally used the 21A-4264 bar that became obsolete sometime after 42 and replaced by the part number 51A- bar.
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46coupe |
09-15-2021 @ 12:20 PM
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Member
Posts: 271
Joined: Oct 2015
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Yes I saw the bar in the Green Book which looks pretty straight compared to mine. I'm pretty sure that my bar was on the car when purchased and didn't get bent since then. The shackles and bolt were just ordered and will pick them up tomorrow. I'm hoping we can get the car fixed in the next week or so. A traction bar seems to be pretty scarce so the one I have might need to be straightened to fit. Thanks to everyone for your help and suggestions. I'll post an update when I have one. Oh BTW for those reading this post Dennis Carpenter has just installed a new phone system and there are problems with wait times, etc. Just be patient and you will get to talk to someone. They also have moved to a new building down the street in case you go to visit. I'll be there tomorrow and will get more info on details.
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